1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to consoles, including gaming consoles and electronic kiosks, and more particularly to systems and methods for providing enhanced display assemblies employing flexible displays in consoles and kiosks.
2. Background of the Invention
Electronic consoles and kiosks (collectively, consoles) are primarily employed to mount and house video displays and house electronics associated with the video displays. Electronic consoles may be configured for one or more diverse purposes, including informational kiosks, automatic teller machines (ATM), vending kiosks such as for tickets sales, and gaming consoles for providing one or more wager-based games. Peripheral hardware may also be mounted on or in the console and associated with the video displays. Such peripheral hardware may include external buttons for registering user selections in response to, for example, prompts such as icons or words displayed on the video display. Peripherals may also include a touchscreen device overlaid on the video display to detect and register a user's selection of a prompt displayed on the video display.
With respect to gaming consoles in particular, electronic games offered in casinos and the like often include games of chance or wager-based games often provided via some form of platform such as a video machine or electronic console (generically, gaming console) implementing one or more specific types of games. Such games typically allow players to make a wager using actual currency or some equivalent form of value, e.g., coins, tokens or credit. Thereafter, the player may play the game implemented on the gaming console. To the extent the player wins, the gaming console may provide a payout of some value, such as by dispensing coins in a tray, a printed ticket that may be redeemed elsewhere, or credits on the gaming device or transferred to a machine-readable card.
Most modern gaming consoles employ computer-generated graphics and one or more types of games that are implemented, in part, by displaying graphics and/or text on a video display. These games may include any number of games of chance that are typically programmed, in part, to statistically payout winnings in a substantially random fashion, such as video slot machines or video poker for example. Typically, users interact with these gaming consoles using a touchscreen associated with the video display, or external buttons mounted to the console housing. FIG. 1A shows an exemplary gaming console according to the prior art. Gaming console 100 may broadly include a display device 105 for displaying the video, graphics and/or text associated with a wager-based game. The game console 100 may optionally include one or more of user input controls 110a-110c, an optional joystick (not shown) for interaction with a game, a token or money slot 120, a card reader 125 for reading a player's electronically-coded card for identification and/or payment, and a game lever 130 for initiating or interacting with a game. A payout dispenser 135, such as a coin tray, may also be present. The display 105 may also include a touch screen device associated with the video display 105 for entering of data or user selections.
Consoles, and particularly gaming consoles, often include a top box 150. Top box 150 may include area 138 that often features text and/or graphics to advertise what is being implemented on this console. Top box 150 generally includes a housing, and may be separate or integral with console 100 housing. Console 100 in FIG. 1A, being a gaming console 100, includes text to indicate the nature of the game implemented on console 100. Area 138 may be a rigid panel, and may be either opaque or translucent and backlit. Alternatively, area 138 may include a cathode ray tube (CRT) or flat panel video display to display video, graphics, and/or text relating to that which is being implemented on console 100. As shown in FIG. 1B, whether area 138 is a panel or a video display, each ordinarily permits viewing of area 138 within acute view angle Φ that is less than 180° and does not intersect a plane 141 that is coextensive and parallel to the face of area 138. Thus, to view and appreciate that which is displayed in or on area 138, a viewer must be oriented relative to top box 150 within view angle Φ such that the viewer can read or see what is displayed in area 138. A viewer positioned behind or to one side of top box 150 would be beyond view angle Φ and unable to view area 138.
In addition, consoles, and particularly gaming consoles such as console 100, lack visibility to a certain extent when placed in a casino or large room that may include large numbers of gaming consoles. It is common for gaming consoles to be arranged in rows in a casino, with some consoles being arranged in a back-to-back orientation with respect to a console in an adjacent row of consoles. In such situations, area 138 on console 100 may be unable to be seen unless a player is standing in the row of consoles, and further standing in view angle Φ of console 100 such that the player can view area 138 to determine the game being implemented on console 100. Thus, a player seeking to locate a gaming console implementing a particular game in a large room filled with similar consoles may be required to walk row after row of gaming consoles until the desired type of console is located.
Similar problems are associated with other types of consoles, such as ATMs or ticket and/or informational kiosks (kiosks). ATMs and kiosks are often located in stand-alone locations, or in small groups. Often, these stand-alone locations are in malls, train stations, airports, or other such locations having wide concourses, and installations that obscure the ATM or kiosk. A user may have difficulty locating the ATM or kiosk unless the user happens to view the top box area having an equivalent of area 138 when the user is proximate the ATM or kiosk and within view angle Φ corresponding to the respective ATM or kiosk.
Accordingly, there is a need to be able to expand the available options to provide better visibility of the console, ATM and/or kiosk. The present invention addresses these needs.